


A Strange Misunderstanding

by Dalian



Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Build
Genre: Dorks in Love, Feelings Realization, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24676360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalian/pseuds/Dalian
Summary: It was just by chance, definitely by chance, that the genius Kiryu Sento overheard a conversation between his two fellow housemates. Not in a million years would he be interested in a conversation about that muscle head or let alone what he finds attractive. Yeah, definitely. Why should he bother about some random girl talk that has nothing to do with him. Yet, what is this uneasy feeling that keeps tugging on his heart?
Relationships: Banjou Ryuuga & Kiryuu Sento, Banjou Ryuuga/Kiryuu Sento
Kudos: 35





	A Strange Misunderstanding

**Author's Note:**

> So my friend sent me one of those OTP questions that you see on Tumblr and asked me to answer for RyuSen. One of them was "Which one out of the two gets jealous easier?" which gave me inspiration for this fanfic. "Jealous" was the original prompt but it somehow ended up like this the more I write. It wasn't supposed to be this long, 3000 words longer to be exact, but I did have a lot of fun writing some of the scenes. Hope that everyone like it!!

It was a bit late in the afternoon, orange hues illuminated the curtained windows of the Nascista cafe, showing another day has passed. Misora has been sitting at the counter for the past 2 hours, scrolling through various fashion blogs and bookmarking them, distracting her mind from worrying about something for once. Her slender finger scrolls through the pages slowly, eyes scanning through numerous pictures of clothing items and accessories, taking in all the pattern and design of the so-called Winter trend. She often would zoom in on the picture, trying to imagine how the fabric must have felt as she is unable to check them out in-store.

 _Just when I’m allowed to go outside,_ Misora thought. Due to her circumstances, she had missed out on many aspects that would be considered typical for a 19 years old girl. Having to hide inside means no socializing with people her age, and online fan interactions don't count. Now, with all of the Full Bottles purified, there’s no need for her to hide anymore, but she only managed to go out one more time before this war started. Going out isn't just walking around the street, but rather going shopping, taking pictures, and simply having fun, like when she went out with Banjou a few months ago.

She continued to scroll before something caught her eyes.

“Neh, Banjou. Which one do you think looks cuter?” Misora asked, hoping off from her stool. The boxer has been relaxing on the sofa, hugging one of the baguette pillows while scrolling through his phone. He looked up just in time to see Misora stopping before him. Holding onto the tablet with both of her hands, she turned it vertically, pointing the screen at him. On the screen was a picture of two female models posing together. The one on the left was wearing a warm yellow sweater, with a long plaid skirt that passed her knees a bit, and dark brown boots. Meanwhile, the other model was wearing a dark-orange apron dress -something he learned from Kasumi while shopping with her- with a white button-up underneath and white sandal. The brunette's face formed a frown as he looked at the picture, tilting his head a bit as he sat up straighter.

”Hmmm...Maybe the dress….I guess.” he picked, looking up to see Misora's reaction to his uncertain reply. She seemed unimpressed to say the least.

”That’s not helpful.”

”Ughhh….The colour is nice?” he added, hoping it will help.

”Banjou, that's not enough.” Misora complained, taping at the picture on the screen. ”What about the overall style? The colours combination? The fabric? What about those?”

”Does it really matter?” he questioned, ”It's not like anyone in this cafe is gonna judge and you don't leave the house anyway.”

”Of course! Wearing clothes that suit you does a lot more than just make you look nice.”

He looked at her confusingly, then back at the picture one last time. ”I guess the outfit on the right does look more comfortable.”

”I can't believe this!” she sighed loudly, giving up on getting a useful answer out of the boxer. Before she can continue, the front door opens and enters Sento, saying ”I’m back” like usual. ”Oh, welcome back. Have you found what you're looking for?”

”Yeah, it took a while but I managed to find a shop that has it.” the physicist answered, not bothering to look at the two as he put away his helmet and took off his coat. He also set the cross shoulder bag down, which seems to carry his newly bought appliances. ”Were you guys talking about something?”

”Oh, right!” Misora exclaimed, quickly pulling up the picture from before and hurriedly showing it to Sento. ”Look at this. Which outfit do you think is cuter?”

He stopped and examined the picture for a bit, not long but definitely closer than the boxer did, before going behind the counter to get something. ”I would say the one on the left. The turtleneck looks very warm and the grey plaid helps balance the outfit. Besides, you wear dresses all the time so I think this would be a nice change.” the scientist explained.

”Eh~ is that so…” the younger girl let out, thinking to herself a bit before turning back to the boxer who has been silent the whole time.”See, Banjou? That's how you pick an outfit.”

”What? I don't know anything about girl’s fashion.” he insisted. ”I should be the last person you go to for this.”

”He’s not wrong.” Sento chimed in, smirking a bit as Banjou shot him a glare. While waiting for the water to boil, Sento quickly took his bag and jacket down to the lab before getting back upstairs. When he returned, Misora and Banjou were still at it.

”It’s not always about the trend, Banjou. Fashion is subjective.” she clarified, ”It’s about what you think would look nice on that person.”

”Is that so?”

”I mean you must have some preferences for what you consider attractive, right?” Misora questions, standing in front of the brunette once again. Even though the question was directed at Banjou, it stopped Sento on his track. Curiosity took over the older male as he suddenly found himself wanting to know the boxer's answer. Hands still moving to make his coffee, the physicist found himself attending closely to the conversation before him.

Banjou slumped back against the couch behind him, crossing his arms across his chest and imagined. After what felt like forever, still staring into the distant, the boxer spoke quietly. ”Someone with a kind smile, a bright personality, who will be there for me.”

”Eh?” Neither of the two listeners expected that answer, but one of them, Sento, now regrets listening to this conversation. He can tell that Banjou was describing his memory of that person.

”I’m mostly looking for that peaceful feeling, y’know?”

”What do you mean?”

”Almost like whenever you’re with them, everything feels right.” He finished, nodding his head before looking back at Misora. ”I’m quite reckless, so perhaps I’m seeking what I’m missing.

Misora’s eyes widened as she realized who Banjou was talking about. She mentally scolded herself for not thinking about the possibility of it touching upon his past relationship with Kasumi. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-“

”No, it's fine.” Banjou stopped her, noticing the panic in the girl’s face. ”It’s my fault for directing it there.”

”No, it's my fault for being insensitive.” Misora apologized while shaking her head, hands clenching in a fist by her side. She blinked rapidly, clearly still feeling awful as she couldn't bring herself at the boxer.

“Well, I’m kinda glad you asked though,” Banjou mentioned, got up from the sofa and stood in front of her. His right hand reached up to pat her head gently, attempting to reassure the girl. The internet-idol peeked up at him, eyes narrowed, and brows furrow a bit to show she doesn't know what he meant by that.”I’m not a picky type, but all of that did make me rethink a few things. I guess I do have some preferences after all.”

” Is that so?” Misora said slowly, smoothing down her hair. She glanced behind her for a bit, disappointed to see that Sento had finished making his coffee and making his way toward the hideout’s door. ”Do you mind me asking what they are?”

” Let’s see.” Banjou said, returning to his spot on the sofa. Once again, the Rabbit Tank owner pauses. He halted in front of the door, hand still holding onto the handle but his mind was elsewhere. His body leaned back a little, ears trying to catch the discussion on the other side of the room.

”I guess I do like someone who is smaller than me. Kinda giving you the feeling of wanting to protect them.”

”Uh-huh?” Misora hums calmly, staring down at the boxer. Meanwhile, Sento clicked his tongue quietly at the answer, which was still audible enough to catch Misora's attention. She rolled her eyes at how Sento didn't seem to acknowledge how obvious his action was.

”I kinda don't care about their fashion choice,” he continued, ”As long as they like it, I’m fine with it.”

”How nice.”

”Straight or wavy dark hair is cute, doesn't matter the length. Hmm, there's something adorable about people with big, curious, round eyes, like when they look at you.”

”I see that.”

”Oh, most important of all, a smile that makes your heart flutter. It's hard to describe, but you get this feeling of I will do anything I can to protect that smile.”

”Eh? I-Isn't that…” Misora stumbled as another person of that description, beside Kasumi, popped up in her mind. She turned around, staring at the person in concern. The physicist was frowning, looking a bit let down almost, which meant he didn't seem to come to the same conclusion as her. Having lived with Sento for about a year, it's still bizarre to see how he always manages to dismiss the obvious explanation simply because ”It can't be that easy.” It seems like that just happened again just now.

”Hmm? Did you say something?” Banjou asked.

”Oh-no-nothing. I just didn't know you can be that romantic.” Misora said jokingly, earning herself a laugh from the boxer. The door to the hideout opened and closed faintly behind her, leaving the two alone together again. ”Since you only ever talk about working out.”

”It can't be helped,” Banjou defense, ”since I only noticed it recently.”

 _He doesn’t realize it doesn’t he?_ Misora thought. Now, on the other hand, there's Banjou. He probably assumed that everything that he has been describing is nothing more but general preferences. If only he has tried to look further into it, maybe he would realize that he was describing a certain someone.

It isn't much of a deal that Banjou can't define his attraction, but Misora couldn't help but be bothered about Sento. His reaction from earlier troubled her. Without even asking, the younger girl can tell whatever misinterpretation he has about Banjou had managed to upset him. That's the norm between those two, so whether or not this is gonna escalate further, she doesn't know. It might turn out to be minor or there is gonna be a lot of passive-aggressive exchanges between the two Riders.

”Well, what’s new.” Misora muttered, walking back to her seat before catching the boxer questioning why she kept talking to herself.

* * *

The ticking from the clock on the wall continues to echo loudly against the quiet lab, where the other only sounds are from the clanking of metal as the physicist works away on his next device. Once in a while, a click of tongue or sigh can be heard when something doesn't go right and he has to retweak stuff. The rider has retreated back to the lab right after dinner and shut himself in here since. Everyone should be asleep by now, but he still feels like he can go a bit more. It’s probably to distract himself from what he heard a few days earlier. Just recalling it makes him sigh loudly to himself. Even up until now, Sento still doesn’t know why that conversation bothered him so much. Like, technically, he wasn’t even in it.

Leaning back a bit in his chair, he recalls that afternoon. Right after he left and went down to the lab, he remembered feeling disappointed. At what? He didn’t know at first. Well obviously, it has to be what Banjou was talking about. Then, the question was why.

Why should the self-proclaimed handsome genius Kiryu Sento care about the muscle head Banjou Ryuga?

The first conclusion he came up with was because Misora seems to fit that description, and he was just worried over her, but that’s not it either. At that moment, he wasn’t comparing Banjou’s description to Misora but rather...himself. _No, no, that’s impossible. he thought. Why should I care whether or not I match his little list?_ It's such an absurd idea that he’s almost mad at himself for even suggesting it. Obviously, it was just because it involved Misora so that’s why he felt bothered, at least that's what he told himself. Sawa was also a possibility but not as strong as Misora. Anything that doesn't imply it might be personal.

The physicist was so lost in his internal argument that he failed to notice someone approached him from behind, a sudden loud thump caused him to snap out of it. He flinched, looked up from his devices at the looming figure next to him.

“Out with it!” Banjou questioned sternly, apparently, the loud noise was from him slamming down on the work table. _Does he have to do that every time?_ Glaring down at Sento, the boxer’s voice remained firm.“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sento replied calmly, pretending like Banjou totally did not successfully cause him to panic internally. The boxer tried to read him but seemed to not be able to see past the stoic front. However, he is here to investigate Sento afterall.

“You have been staring at me for the past two days, even at dinner just now,” Banjou explained.

“That’s overconfident of you.”

“Sento, I’m not playing around.”

“I didn’t notice.” Once again, Sento pretends as nothing happened and resumes back to his work. Maybe if he ignores Banjou enough, he’ll just storm away. Nevertheless, it was not the case as a pair of hands reached across him and stole the device from his grasp, setting it on the table. Before the angry physicist could say anything, he felt Banjou grabbing him by his shoulders and spun him around, locked in place as Banjou watched him. He bent down a bit, trying to match their eyes level without realizing he was being a bit too close. It was so smooth that it made the scientist's heart skip a beat.

“Stop dodging the subject. I noticed that you have been in a bad mood over the past few days, giving me these weird glances. What’s the problem this time?” Banjou said, his grips on Sento loosened a bit like his tone at the end. It looks like that weird intuition that he always boasted about, and that the physicist will continue to refuse to acknowledge, is somehow telling him that his partner is lying.

”You’re just imagining things. It’s not like I have time to waste staring at an idiot like you.” The person in question replied, still avoiding eye contact.

“Sento, you’re bad at hiding things you know.”

“Shut up! I’m going to bed.” Sento declared. He stood up abruptly and shoved the brunet away, perhaps a hit too forcefully when he heard the younger male stumbling against the table behind him. He was only half away across the lab when the boxer rushed past and obstructed his escape plan.

“Not until you answer my question,” Banjou assured, his stance eased up with both hands now resting inside his pocket. He might look relaxed, but the scientist knows that he’s ready to catch him if he pulls anything funny. There’s no way that he can force his way through this wall.

 _Why can’t I just tell him?_ Sento questioned. If it’s about Misora, like he believes, then he should come out and say it. It shouldn’t be that weird, but what is with this butterfly feeling in his stomach. Perhaps avoiding the Dragon’s owner the last few days didn't help, but rather had only built up that uneasiness. He tried to act normal, but that curious part of him let his mind, or eyes, drift to a certain someone. The more he deflects the more weary he gets.

Sento exhaled tiredly, crossing his arms across his chest before looking back at the other male. At this point, it’s better to just be out with it. Might as well do it now rather than let it grow into something guiltier.“Remember that conversation you had with Misora two days ago?”

“Ughh... the one about fashion?” The boxer furrowed a bit, trying to think back to that afternoon.

“No, the one after that.”

“...about my type?”

”Yeah-well-you see…” Sento stuttered, unsure how to deliver this. His eyes darted back and forth, looking at anything but Banjou's face. ”I was listening to the conversation and uhh...it-it kinda bothers me that you were describing Misora.”

”What?”

”I mean I just wasn't sure if you really were describing her but that was all I can think about.” The physicist blurred out, still not bothering to look at the boxer. ”As someone who looks over her, it just doesn't sit well to me that she’s your type…..I just want to know if you like her?”

Sento braced himself, waiting for any type of reaction of the other male, but nothing ever came. It was in total silence. The ticking of the clock filled up the quiet space along with Sento’s own heartbeat. Curiously, his eyes eventually deviated back on the person in front of him and were greeted with a confused Banjou.

The Dragon’s owner stared at him in disbelief, whether at the questions itself or that it came from Sento of all people. He opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to reply to the physicist. The next few seconds of stillness pained the genius in a way that he can't explain, making him feel not in control of their conversation for the first time. He expected an immediate reaction, a loud one at that, like ”What the hell, Sento?” or ”Stop messing around!”. Anything but...this. After what felt like forever to the scientist, in reality probably about 10 seconds, the other male simply said: “It’s not Misora.”

“Yeah, that's what- Wait what?!!”

“As I said, it’s not Misora.” The boxer repeated.

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not.” He assured.

“Yes, you are!”

“Sento, why would I be lying about this?” Banjou asked, suddenly being the one who seemed done with this conversation. He came into this expecting like perhaps Sento discovered something and is just keeping it a secret or the scientist wanted him to be his test subject again but was too prideful to ask. Certainly anything but a throwaway conversation he had one afternoon. “Besides, who on earth is stupid enough to describe the person right in front of them?”

“I-I don’t know!” Sento rubbed his hair frantically, feeling the heat seeping up his face. He turned away, pouting a bit as he couldn't find a proper comeback to that.

 _So it’s a misunderstanding after all._ He thought, yet finding that uneasy feeling still there. But that doesn't make sense, Banjou just said that it was not Misora so he shouldn't be that worried anymore. He should be glad that everything was just a big misunderstanding. Why can't he calm down? Was he expecting something else?

Why was he upset in the first place?

”Sento? Are you okay?” Banjou asked softly, noticing the physicist had gone quiet. His right hand reached for the other male slowly but was slapped away as quickly as it had made contact with the fabric of Sento’s shirt. No matter how often Sento had to remind him that he is too close, the older male had never physically pushed him away like this. Not even those times where he was forcefully grabbed by the collars and locked in the boxer’s angry eyes.

”Shut up!” A storm of frustration and animosity stirred from the space in his head to the bottom of his stomach. It's right there. Deep down, his mind looked for that reason, but that sense of pride chained him back. ”This doesn't make any sense. Why am I so upset?”

”I should be asking that.”

”I still don't believe you!” Sento suddenly proclaimed, crossing his arms tightly once again as his expression narrowed. He turned on his heels suddenly, causing Banjou to pull back a bit. It simply a bad habit, getting all impatient and allowing those thoughts that had piled up in the back of his mind to come forward.

”Still? Sento, please, I have no reason to lie about stuff like this.”

”Then it just doesn't make sense, Banjou!”

”What doesn't?”

”Who were you describing?!” Sento yelled, voice getting more and more furious as he spoke. He pointed at the other male with that same hand that tangled up his dark hair, finger pointing at the boxer accusingly. ”The only girl you see every day recently is Misora. She also matched your descriptions perfectly! How was that not her?!”

At that last question, Banjo disagreed: ”I don't think she matched it at all.”

”How does she not?! It's literally every single feature!”

”That’s not the image I had at the time.”

”Banjou, you literally said it yourself.” Sento began, stepping toward the brunet, one hand resting on his hip while the other counted up each point as he spoke. The Rabbit Tank Rider might not know what Dragon Rider is thinking at this moment, but one thing that he does know is that the two of them were never on the same page to begin with. For sure whatever Sento was complaining about didn't ring a damn bell in the boxer’s head. ”You like someone who is shorter than you-”

“Ugh, I think I mean smaller like slender….” Banjou interrupted, earning a fierce glare from the older male. He probably shouldn’t have spoken.

“Someone who has dark hair, big eyes, and a cute smile. Who else can it be beside Misora?!”

Sento looked up from his hand as he named the last point, dark almond-shaped eyes troubled with emotion at the person in front, still sulking a bit. The two riders peered intensely at each other, everything in the room died down except the sound of the machinery running smoothly in the background. He wanted Banjou to understand, to look past the unpleasant rage and harsh words, finally figuring out what is wrong with the scientist...but was that too much to ask for? With a blink of an eye, his wish was answered in a different way.

The Dragon’s owner's eyes widened, breathing in shallow breaths as his mouth stumbled to speak any coherent words. Before the Rabbit Tank rider could raise a question, the younger male sucked in a deep breath and brought his hand up to cover his face. He looked away, panic set in like the dust of red on his cheeks. The physicist was completely ignored, watching the other male fidgeting before him.

“Oi, what’s the problem with you.”

“This is the worst.” Banjou suddenly said, shaking his head lightly. His voice was shaky, conflicted with whatever is going on inside his head.

“Eh?”

“For a self-proclaimed narcissist, you’re not looking at the mirror enough,” Banjou muttered, still hiding behind his hand. Those eyes of his darkened, glancing the physicist up and down behind those fingers.

“What?”

“At least try to notice what you look like.” Banjou sighs loudly as Sento continued to look obviously clueless to whatever was going on. Dropping the hand that was hiding his troubled face, the brunet finally looking straight at the other male. A knowing smile crossed him, the tension from before was gone. He looked relieved almost, but still shy. “All I can say is...the answer is right in front of you.”

With that, Banjou makes his way toward the staircase, leaving the confused physicist behind. Sento's eyes remained on the younger male until he got out of sight, hearing the sound of the door opened and closed. Once again, he's the only one in the silent lab.

”That muscle head somehow managed to confuse me even more.” Sento muttered, trying to decipher his partner’s message. It piques his interest the same way a complicated equation captures his attention. He brushed through his dark locks once again, pursing his lips in annoyance as his almond-shaped eyes scan around the room. He flips and turns Banjou’s words inside his brain, trying to find the keyword.

_For a self-proclaimed narcissist, you’re not looking at the mirror enough._

Now that he thought about it, it was quite odd that Banjou kept noting his appearance. He quickly glanced at the top at the staircase, contemplating over the ideas before sighing loudly to himself. It should be fine, he has already left.

Still sceptical, Sento ambled to the side of the bed in the other room, hesitated before picking up the table mirror on the nightstand, and holding it in front of him. It was the first time he saw how chaotic his appearance was. Besides that one tangle spot on his hair, the agitated expression that he was wearing wasn’t nice either. Taking one thorough looks at his reflection, Banjou’s words still don't make sense to him. Was this not it? he thought, letting the hand that was holding the mirror drift to his side.

_At least try to notice what you look like._

”I mean I still look the same.” Sento replied defeatedly, lowering his eye to the ground. Shifting his weight back and forth restlessly, his brows resumed back to frowning as his attempt to solve the mystery had failed. But he said it should be noticeable. He brought up the mirror again and decided to give it another try. The reflection that stared back at him was still the same, maybe just a bit wearier, otherwise still the same. Just like an experiment, maybe I just have looked at each part separately.

Tilting his head a little to the side, the physicist let his curious eyes wander, examining every little feature on his face. The first thing he noticed was his pale complexion, which contrasted greatly against his silky black hair. Sento is not much of an outdoor person, leaving the cafe only for work or fighting Smash. Even then, he has always worn his trenchcoat or a long sleeve top, leaving no room for exposure to sunlight. The only time that it ever catches the rider's attention is whenever he gets bruised from battle and it shows up on his skin like a splash of ink on a white piece of paper. It tends to make the injuries look nastier than it actually is, which might or might not have alarmed everyone.

His hair has grown a bit longer, but with everything going on recently, keeping it neat and healthy is the best he can do for now. Misora has had a great influence on how he takes care of himself, shining light on the concept of product variety, like when picking hair care products. _Well, it doesn't look too bad._

Moving away from the topic of hair, his assessment now shifted to his face. From what Misora said, it seems like he has an oval-shaped face. The younger girl also mentioned something about how that type of face goes nicely with any hairstyle, possibly explaining why the current length doesn't look bad on him. His eyes then catch itself in the mirror, the same almond-shaped eyes that beam up whenever his genius mind enters its work mode. Outlining from the corner of the eyelid to the end of the crease, for the first time, he noticed how long his lashes are. It framed his eyes nicely, enhancing the roundness of its.

”I guess he was right, perhaps I wasn't that aware of my own face.” Sento said, a strange bubbly warmth filled his chest. He breathed out softly, expressions soften as the thought of the boxer noticing these details. Suddenly, something in the reflection captured his attention.

In the mirror, Sento can see a soft smile that has blossomed on his small lips. Ever since he found out about his true identity, the once optimistic and happy Rabbit Tank rider was never the same. Staying cheerful has become difficult, but it has to be done for the sake of the team. When was the last time the scientist truly laughed at something?

 _It's actually quite nice._ His smile broadened as he relished that wonderful feeling. It's something that has been missing in his recent daily life, so he's gonna take a moment and remember what real relaxation is like.

_A smile that makes your heart flutter._

”Wait…” Sento trailed off, the words died in his throat as all the dots finally connected like the cogs in his brain. He pulled back, standing a bit straighter than before. Those brown eyes blinked quickly as the rider's sense was completely overwhelmed with awe, hearing his own breathing hasten and shallow. He clutched the mirror with trembled fingers, raising it up once again.

Sento found himself comparing the details like solving one of those spots the difference puzzle. Except, in this case, he is trying to find the similarity. He mistook the boxer’s advice and that he should be looking for something new when in actuality, it's quite the opposite. It's the usual self-proclaimed handsome genius Kiryū Sento who Banjou was talking about. Not Misora, not Sawa, nor any other people with that description.

It's him.

“That’s good.” he murmured pleasingly, a wave of relief washed over him.

 _Wait, does that mean he likes me?!_ The physicist froze as he realized what all this might mean. Under any normal circumstances, he should be weirded out by this. Someone just unintentionally admits that they like him, and it's the muscle head for that matter...but why...why do the notions of that make him so happy? Why was he so relieved when he found out it was him? And what is this exhilarating feeling that's making his chest tight?

_This whole time, I have wanted to be Banjou’s..._

Sento cursed himself, cursing his self-deprecating mentality. The cause of all this aggravation was the person himself, making a scene out of nothing. Ignorance is bliss, truly, as he was painfully unaware of the other sentiments. Banjou wanted to convey Sento what he had come to adore from the genius over time.

However, it's also reasonable for him to be like that. From the scientist's perspective, it’s difficult to ever think that Banjou can see him in that sort of way. They have gotten closer as friends over the last few months, but the majority of their exchanges have been nothing but snarky remarks. It’s nothing malicious, at least from his part, as it’s just funny to see each other's reactions. There were definitely some touching moments, proving they can be nice to each other if they want to. No wonder the scientist immediately disqualified himself from that topic.

_So what now? Does this mean I also like him?! Does he know that? Judging from his reactions, he must have, right? How do I face him? Can I pretend like I still didn't get it? But then he might realize that I’m lying. He panicked, questions popping up one after another._

”This is the worst.”

”I know right.” A voice suddenly spoke up from behind him, causing the physicist to nearly yell out in surprise. He turned around instantly, finding the person who just startled him. Well, he should know who that is since he hears his voice every day.

“Eh?!! Wha-wait why-why are you here? I-I thought you left?”

An amused expression formed on Banjou's face as he watched the fidgeting genius before him. “I never left.”

”But-but I heard the door open and closed.” Sento explained, noticing his voice sounded a bit higher than before.

”Well it did but I was actually waiting up there.” Banjou added, scratching his head nervously. Sento looks confused for a bit before remembering he didn’t check the space at the top of the staircase. It's impressive that the usually audible boxer managed to sneak down those metal staircases without making much noise, but to be fair, Sento’s was so locked in his mind that his spatial awareness was practically nonexistent. ”Sorry, I knew that you wouldn’t have done that if I was in the room.”

Sento didn’t know what to say. Between Banjou catching him loitering around and what he just discovered, it left him a tangled mess. Well, it seems like the other male didn’t care about the first part, as Sento can see the faint blush on his cheeks, he was far more interested in what makes the physicist’s heart a mess. His fingers tightened slightly on the mirror, pursing his lips slightly at the awkward situation. Even without the mirror, he can still tell that he’s blushing very badly. “You really weren't lying.”

“I have no reason to,” Banjou said, chuckled slightly at his partner. He knows that Sento hates being put on the spot after someone proves him wrong. ”Especially after seeing you so angry.”

”It’s not about what you think it's about.” Sento warned promptly, returning the mirror back on the nightstand. He was glad that it didn't slip through his trembling fingers out of panic just now, cause there would've been an angry Misora tomorrow if he did.

”Well, your reaction just now says otherwise. I mean I didn't even know you can blush.” he teased, having the nerve to laugh out loud this time. The physicist’s eyes narrowed at him, fuming with embarrassment. The boxer grinned amusingly as he took a few steps forward, noticing how the older male became more nervous as he crossed into his personal space. He stopped less than a foot away from him, close enough that when he leaned in the physicist faltered back a bit. The Dragon’s owner smiled gently at him, looking up and down his face almost to confirm something. “Just like I thought, your smile really makes everything worth it.”

Sento’s blush seared through his cheeks as Banjou’s sweet words flooded into his heart. He suddenly felt more self-conscious than before, bashful almost. He inhaled sharply, biting onto his bottom lip timidly as their eyes finally met. A rosier red now adorned on his pale skin, not only being close enough to feel the heat radiating off his partner but also being trapped in his eyes. Just as expected, the boxer does everything with passion and honesty, letting his stream of affection spill over like a waterfall. The genius found himself drowning, or rather hypnotized, as he is both super conscious of everything but too drowsy to react to it. Knowing the guy, Sento imagines it's something along the lines of ”He figured it out so no point in being subtle.”

A private exhibition just for the Dragon’s owner, where the only art piece is the handsome genius Kiryu Sento. The ways those brown eyes wandered slowly down his figure, deliberately lingered on sensitive places, unashamed to show that look of fervour as he stared at his lips or letting out that low shaky breath as those eyes glided down his collarbone. It left him expecting more. But, Banjou knows better. The physicist finally found himself backed against a corner where that sharp tongue of his is also like himself, at a loss for words. It would be too easy to let him go without some teasing, but the trick here is to not overdo it.

Sento couldn't come up with anything, a part of him wanted to see how far Banjou would take this but the other part still wanted to retain some sense of pride after tonight. Going against his enjoyment, the physicist reached out his hands and with one clean push, there is now some room between them. The brunet first looked confused then disappointed, cutting short from his show. While the boxer still had his guard down, Sento took the opportunity and slipped past him. The physicist turned back to face the younger male, trying to catch his balance while still stumbling backwards with each step. He managed to put a decent distance between the two until the first step of stairs stopped him by the back of his foot.

He welcomes the cool air from the lab, filling up space in his lungs like a balloon and clears up his clouded mind. Breezes of cold air glide against the back of his neck and across his temple, the feverish heat from before died down as fast as it has arrived. _Has the lab always been this cold?_ He swallowed hard, letting out a long exhale as that butterflies feeling had also vanished. The uncertainty that has built up over the last 2 days were gone just like that.

 _So, what now?_ The genius found himself asking. Banjou seemed ways too chilled about this whole thing, even going as far as using his ”confession” to his advantage. The boxer's signature boldness backs him up, flooding the physicist with affection to get a reaction out of him, whereas the Rabbit Tank rider can't even admit that he’s glad that Banjou likes him.

Sento has already lost the moment he picked up that mirror.

The Dragon’s owner was watching from the same spot Sento had left him, perhaps recognizing that he needed some space. Neither of them knows what to do next. It's never the boxer's intention to achieve any sort of serious response from the scientist, or for him to admit anything really. He initiated the ideas but pulls back when he notices that the older male is too embarrassed to admit it. That was why he teased him like that, pushing the boundary a bit just to confirm it's not one-sided but saved face by not making it specific. However, the teasing definitely escalated way faster than neither can handle.

The two Riders were this close to throwing caution to the wind and succumbing to whatever strange mood that was happening before Sento’s senses slapped himself back to reality. He wondered what would have happened if he didn't push the boxer away, and the possibilities almost make him regret not going with that. Too late now. He did it the least awkward way he knew how, but that was about it really. He managed to resist the affection but that's the end of his plan. _Should I say something? Why am I still so nervous? This guy, how is he still so calm?!_

Well, the boxer probably assumed that the scientist was trying to leave, heading straight for the stairs, which was partially true until the physicist stopped after one step. With his back still toward him, the other Rider muttered something incoherently under his breath, which the boxer guessed is either about him or himself as he seemed a bit conflicted over it. Those fingers grip tightly onto the railing before loosening up like their owner, as he gathers his voice and glances over his shoulder shyly. The Dragon’s owner watches him patiently, slightly amused at his jumpy movements.

“Next time, be more specific,” Sento said, before sprinting up the stairs just like Banjou expected.

**Author's Note:**

> As I was writing the conversation at the beginning, I realise "Oh wow, Kasumi and Sento are very similar to each other." Prior to writing, I expected a lot of problems with finding the similarity between the twos. In the end, it went surprisingly smoothly....too smoothly in fact. I don't know if it was intentional but I'm kinda glad I was able to pick up on it. 
> 
> Funny enough, I remember thinking "This is so much better than my AP Lit Essay." while proofreading some part. My friend also said the same thing when they read the ending. I honestly couldn't help but just laughed since I really didn't write a masterpiece for my AP Lit Exam. Especially the line "...it shows up on his skin like a splash of ink on a white piece of paper." It was like "You even used simile and imagery like where was it on your essay?"
> 
> “ヽ(´▽｀)ノ” Now I can go to sleep. See you in the next fanfic.


End file.
